Single use clasp



Nov. 12, 1963 R. M. TREMBLAY SINGLE USE CLASP Filed Nov. l, 1961 INVENTOR /Py/vo/vo/w, 722973095 I @Nh/- Y l .77

BY QM ,7T I

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,110,976 SINGLE USE CLAS? Raymond M. Tremblay, 17@ Pleasant St., Whitman, Mass. Filed Nov. 1, 196i, Ser. No. 149,432 9 Claims. (Cl. 24-134) This invention relates to clasps and more particularly to `a single use clasp structure.

For many years, hospitals have been using identification bracelets for easily and quickly preserving and determining the .identities of infants. Such bracelets are ordinarily placed around an appendage of the infant such as the wrist and are secured in such fashion as to make their removal possible only by deliberate attempt to remove the same. A most common form of such identification bracelets includes flexible elements such as bands, cords or the like which have the infants identity spelle thereon by threading a plurality of lettered beads on the band after which the band is placed about the infants wrist and the free ends of the band are clasped together by a metal sed that is crushed in place by means of a tool.

The seal clasp commonly used comprises a slotted base of soft lead, the ends of the cord or band being placed in the slot after the band has been placed about the infants wrist. As the infant frequently has considerable movement, 'and as the length of the bracelet and the sealing lead are quite small, it is sometimes very difficult for the nurse to keep the free ends of Ithe band in the slot while using a tool to deform the soft lead seal. Obviously, if the ends of the band or cord are not properly sealed, the bracelet will become detached, thus causing possible confusion in identification.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved single use clasp for sealing the free ends of the cord or band forming a bracelet, necklace or the like that does not require the use of tools in its operation.

Yet another object of the invention is -to provide a single and inexpensive form of single use clasp that may be readily adapted to be used as ,a clamp or seal for the cords of an identification bracelet or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single use clasp or lock which can be easily manipulated by a nurse to securely lock the free ends of an infants identiiication bracelet together, the bnacelet being incapable of being removed except by willfully severing the band or mutilating the clasp or lock.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved single use clasp having a minimum number of parts so designed that they may each be easily formed o or stamped of sheet metal or the like to provide an economical land expendable device.

Accordinv to the invention, the clasp member is comprised of only two members formed of sheet material, namely, a sleeve body member and a movable clasp member pivotal'ly secured to the sleeve body member. The sleeve body member is comprised of a bottom wall together with a pair of upwardly extending sidewalls having inwardly extending ilanges overlying the bottom wall. The clasp member is comprised of spaced sidewalls interconnected by a clasp engaging surface and is pivotally secured to the upwardly extending sidewalls of the sleeve body in a manner such that the spaced sidewalls extend into the sleeve body 'along and between die ilanges of the upwardly extending sidewalls of the body member. Resilient tabs extend outwardly from each of the spaced sidewalls of the clasp member in a manner to engage the under surfaces of the body member anges when the clasp member is in the clasp closed position to thereafter prevent movement of the clasp member Ito a clasp open position except by deforming and destroying the clasp.

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yIn addition, the clasp member may be provided with pivot tabs to be supported in suitable openings in the upwardly extending sidewalls of the sleeve body in a manner to provide the previously mentioned pivotal interconnection between the clasp member and the sleeve body member.

Further objects, features and the attending advantages of the invention -will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawing in which:

FIGURE l is a top plan view;

FIGURE 2 is a side section on the line 2 2 of FIG- URE l;

FlGURE 3 is an end section on the line 3 3- of FIGURE 2;

FGURE 4 is w end view; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective elevation of the clasp member removed from the sleeve body.

Referring to the drawing, the single use disposable clasp of the invention is simply constructed of sheet material such as sheet metal or the like, suitable stamped or formed and assembled. More particularly, the clasp comprises only two stamped members, namely, the sleeve body member generally indicated at lll Imd .the clasp member generally indicated at 11 and most clearly shown by FGURE 5 of the drawing. The sleeve body member lll is formed by stamping the sheet material to the shape having the bottom wall 9, upwardly extending sidewalls l2 and 13 tand inwardly extending flanges i4 and 15 from the top sides of the sidewall members 12 and 13, to overlie the bottom wall 9. The flanges 14 and 15 are so dimensioned as to leave a space or opening therebetween Vwithin which may be received the pivotal clasp member 1l. Each sidewall i12, 13 of the sleeve body member l0 is provided with an aperture 16, 17 for purposes to be later described.

The clasp member formed of sheet material is arranged to have depending sidewalls Ztl, 21 and a clasp surface 22 extending therebetween. Suitable serrations 23 are stamped in the clasp surface of the clasp member 11 to grip the member to be clamped within the sleeve body in the clasp closed position. 'Ihe depending sidewalls Ztl and 2l are additionally bent outwardly at 24, 2S and downwardly at 26, 27 to over-lie the upwardly extending sidewalls 12, i3 of the sleeve body lll in the assembled relation. Pivot prong projections 28 and 29 are formed from the sidewalls 25 and 27 of the clasp member 11 and are received within the openings lo and 1'7 of the sleeve body member lil to thereby pivotally secure the clasp member 11 to the sleeve body 1t).

ln order to retain the pivotal clasp member ll in the clasp closed position shown by FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawing, resilient retaining means on the pivotal clasp member 11 are provided in the form of tabs 34) and 31 extending outwardly from the spaced sidewalls 2li, 21 respectively of the clasp member 11. As most clearly shown by FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 of the drawing, the resilient tabs 3b, 31 are inclined toward the underside of the anges 14 and 15 of the sleeve body 10 in the clasp closed position. ln addition, the llanges 14 and 15 are slightly inclined downwardly toward the bottom wall 9 of the sleeve body member lil. Thus, when the pivotal claspmember 11 is moved to the clasp closed position a springing of both of the llanges 14, 15 and of resilient retaining members 3d and 3l is facilitated to permit movement of the pivotal clasp member l1 to the fully closed position as shown by FIGURE 4 with the retaining tabs Si? and 3l engaging the undersides of the body flanges 14 and 1S in a manner to thereafter prevent movement of the pivotal clasp member 11 to the clasp open position without deforming or otherwise destroying the clasp. It will be seen that when in the clasp closed position the resilient tab retaining members 3l) and 31 are concealed and are diiiicult to contact should an effort be made to bend the resilient tags 313 and 31 in an eiort to open the clasp in an unauthorized manner. To further assure a good and effective clasping action, the bottom wall 9 of the tubular sleeve member lib may be provided with stamped serrations 35 positioned to be opposite the serrations 23 of the pivotal clasp member Ztl in the clasp closed position.

In the foregoing there has been described a simple, inexpensive and expendable single use clasp which may be readily formed of sheet material by conventional stamping processes or the like. It should be understood that various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A single use clasp comprising, a tubular sleeve body adapted to receive an element to be clasped and having an opening along a wall thereof, a movable clasp member pivotally secured to said body and movable from a clasp open position into said opening to a clasp closed position, said clasp member having a pair oi spaced walls extending within said opening along the walls of the opening and having an engaging surface extending between the spaced walls of the clasp member to engage an element to be clasped in said body when in the clasp closed position, and resilient retaining means integrally extending from each of said spaced walls of said'clasp member in a manner to engage the body Wall adjacent the opening when said member is in the clasp closed position whereby said member may not thereafter be moved to the clasp open positionV except by destroying the clasp. 2. The clasp of claim 1 in which said clasp member is formed of sheet material.

3. The clasp of claim l in which said clasp member is formed of sheet material and said engaging surface is comprised of serrations stamped in the sheet material extending between the spaced Walls of the clasp member.

4. A single use clasp comprising, a tubular sleeve body formed of sheet material having a bottom Wall with upwardly extending spaced sidewalls and flanges extending inwardly from the upper edges of the sidewalls to overlie the bottom wall, a movable clasp member pivotally secured to the sidewalls of said sleeve body and movable from a clasp open position into said body between said sidewall flanges to a clasp closed position, said clasp member being formed of sheet material and having a pair of generally parallelly spaced walls extending within said body along said anges and having an engaging surface extending between the parallelly spaced sidewalls thereof to engage an element to be ciasped in said body when in the clasp closed position, and resilient retaining means integrally extending from each of said parallel walls of said clasp member in a manner to engage the undersides of the flanges of said body when said member is in the clasp closed position whereby said member may not thereafter be moved to the clasp open position except by destroying the clasp.

5. The clasp of claim 4 in which said resilient means is comprised of a tab extending outwardly from each of said parallel walls of said clasp member at an angle toward the undersides of said flanges in the closed position.

6. The clasp of claim 4 in which each of said flanges is inclined toward the bottom wall of the sleeve body and said resilient means is comprised of a tab extending outwardly from each orr said paraliel Walls of said clasp member at an angle toward the undersides of said ilanges in the closed position.

7. 'The clasp of claim 6 in which said engaging surface is comprised of serrations stamped in the sheet material extending between the parallel walls of said clasp member.

8. The clasp of claim 7 in which the bottom wall of said sleeve body is provided with serrations stamped in a position to oppose the serrations of said clasp member in the clasp closed position.

9. The clasp of claim 4 in which said clasp member is provided with outer depending sidewalls adapted to over- Y lie the upstanding sidewalls of said sleeve body in the clasp closed position, and said clasp member is pivotally secured to said body by means of a tab extending inwardly from each of said outer depending sidewalls into a respective opening in the upwardly extending sidewalls of said body.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,884 Beverly Jan. 16, 1845 291,225 Potter Jan. 1, 1884 433,312 Wicks July 29, 1890 1,388,623 Walker Aug. 23, 1921 1,482,662 Sheppard Feb. 5, 1924 2,577,748 Gillespie Dec. 11, 1951 2,653,686 Routt Sept. 29, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 596,190 Canada Apr. 12, 1960 

1. A SINGLE USE CLASP COMPRISING, A TUBULAR SLEEVE BODY ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN ELEMENT TO BE CLASPED AND HAVING AN OPENING ALONG A WALL THEREOF, A MOVABLE CLASP MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID BODY AND MOVABLE FROM A CLASP OPEN POSITION INTO SAID OPENING TO A CLASP CLOSED POSITION, SAID CLASP MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED WALLS EXTENDING WITHIN SAID OPENING ALONG THE WALLS OF THE OPENING AND HAVING AN ENGAGING SURFACE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SPACED WALLS OF THE CLASP MEMBER TO ENGAGE AN ELEMENT TO BE CLASPED IN SAID BODY WHEN IN THE CLASP CLOSED POSITION, AND RESILIENT RETAINING MEANS INTEGRALLY EXTENDING FROM EACH OF SAID SPACED WALLS OF SAID CLASP MEMBER IN A MANNER TO ENGAGE THE BODY WALL ADJACENT THE OPENING WHEN SAID MEMBER IS IN THE CLASP CLOSED POSITION WHEREBY SAID MEMBER MAY NOT THEREAFTER BE MOVED TO THE CLASP OPEN POSITION EXCEPT BY DESTROYING THE CLASP. 